Tri-series: Australia facing stiff Pakistan challenge
The second match of T20 tri-series between Pakistan and Australia will be played today in Harare.
HARARE (Agencies) - It has been a tricky few months for the Australia men s team, and things may not get any easier when they face Pakistan, the No.1 Twenty20 International side in the second match of the T20I tri-series in Harare today (Monday).
Pakistan have been in outrageously good form in this format, winning their last eight T20 matches, passing 200 in four of those victories. When they defeated Zimbabwe on Saturday it was Fakhar Zaman that was the star with 61 from 40 balls, but the advantage Pakistan have had in recent times is that all those in the team have been putting together excellent contributions.
Australia have some decent results in T20 internationals, winning six of their last seven. In fact, if they win all of their games here they could go top on the T20I rankings. But there has been a lot of upheaval since the last of those victories in February. They will be without the suspended David Warner and Steve Smith and are missing Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood through injury.
Australia have just lost six consecutive limited overs matches in England and will be reeling from those results. With Pakistan stock full of confidence and the Australians not you would think it would take a lot for the latter to find a way to win this one.
Squads:
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c, wk), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Haris Sohail, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Amir, Usman Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Sahibzada Farhan.
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (wk), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
